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Malaysia: Penang Hill & Malacca (or) Melaka

PENANG HILL

Penang Hill is one of the oldest colonial hill resort established by the British during their time in Malaysia. The Malay name of Penang Hill is Bukit Bendera which is one of the cool places to visit in Penang with an elevation of about 833 m (2723 ft) above sea level. Penang Hill comprises several hills including Strawberry Hill, Halliburton’s Hill, Flagstaff Hill, Government Hill, Tiger Hill and Western Hill. The most convenient way up to Penang Hill is by means of the Penang Hill Railway, a funicular railway from Air Itam to the top of Flagstaff Hill. The 2,007 m (1 mile 435 yard) journey used to take about half an hour and the train may stop at intermediate stations upon request. Penang Hill bears a good Flora & Fauna, however, large mammals are cannot be seen in Penang Hill and it is specifically rich in bird fauna. This excellent natural resource is one of the main reason for the local and foreigners to visit this place. Not only are the Flora & Fauna but there also other reason to make this place loved by tourist. Get yourself to the Viewing Deck so, you will get an amazing panoramic view of George Town, Tanjung Bungah and the mainland, a perfect place for photography enthusiasts. Pinang Hill also has a couple of places to worship, Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan Temple or better known as the Penang Hill Hindu Temple, is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Penang. And, Penang Hill Mosque, or Masjid Bukit Bendera, is the only mosque on Penang Hill which is erected for the use of Muslims living and working on the hill, the mosque is located at a short distance from the Penang Hill Hindu Temple and more famous for its good Islamic architecture. Bel Retiro (a government bungalow on Penang Hill that which is out-of-bounds to the general public where one can hike up to its gate, a beautiful brick structure with an arch entranceway), Owl Museum, Monkey Cup Garden, Wax Hand, Henna Art and Bird sanctuary (at the Bellevue Hotel grounds) are some of the highlights of Pinang Hill. Tourist can also find an F&B/Hotel outlets in Pinang Hill. Click the below Logo to visit the official website of Pinang Hill.

MALACCA

Malacca, Malaysia Map

Malacca is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Malaysia. Malacca is also called Melaka in Bahasa Malaysia and it was given a nickname as “The Historic State" due to the consistency of many historical sites. This historical city center has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 7 July 2008. The state is bordered by Negeri Sembilan to the north and west and Johor to the south. The city has many beautiful attractions, all clearly representing the great history of the city. From Kuala Lumpur, you can easily access Malacca by bus, taxi or rental car (Malacca also has an International Airport which was renovated in 2009 to be able to cater for international flights). Melaka has numerous tourist places and buildings to be visited and here are some of the highlights of Malacca where tourist love to visit. A'Famosa: This stands first on the list, The Portuguese colonized Malacca from 1511 to 1641. The first thing they did was build a fort overlooking the river, calling it A'Famosa. Later, due to the attack by the Dutch the entire fortress has been destroyed leaving only the entrance fade and the structure of a church at the top of the hill. Today, this A'Famosa is considered as the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Southeast Asia which attract lots of tourists. Jonker Walk: Jalan Hang Jebat, formerly known as Jonker Street, the center street of Chinatown is known worldwide among serious antique collectors as one of the best places to hunt and bargain for antiques. Recently, it has turned to clothing & crafts outlets as well as a perfect place of the eatery. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening starting 6 p.m., the street is blocked for traffic and turns into a night market. Christ Church: Christ Church in Malacca is an 18th-century Anglican Church in the city of Malacca, Malaysia. It is the oldest functioning Protestant church in Malaysia which is considered as one of the most visited tourist spots in Malacca, Malaysia. Melaka Chinese Mosque: It is considered as a third Chinese-style mosque in Malaysia located in Krubong, Melaka, Malaysia. The total land area of the mosque is about 2.8 hectares that can accommodate up to 2,000 worshipers. The mosque is designed with a unique Chinese architecture with pagodas and Chinese calligraphy from a combination of the architectural design of several mosques in Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an in China. The mosque consists of a main prayer hall, library, multipurpose hall, offices and restaurant. Friday prayer sermon in this mosque is delivered in Mandarin language. Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum: It is a wooden replica of Sultan Mansur Shah’s 15th-century palace, located in Malacca, Malaysia. This seven-tiered palace was built entirely without nails and supported with carved, wooden pillars and featured a copper and zinc roof. This was considered as a most elaborate royal palace ever constructed in the world in 1459. The museum opens every day from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Menara Taming Sari: It is a 1st revolving gyro tower in Malaysia, located in Malacca City, Malacca. The height of the tower is about 110 meters, contains the air-conditioned viewing cabin that can accommodate 66 people at one time. The ride lasts for 7 minutes which offers a 360-degree panoramic view of Malacca town and beyond. Melaka Zoo: This is considered as a second largest zoo in Malaysia with 54 acres total land area. Melaka Zoo is situated at Ayer Keroh which houses more than 1,200 animals and 200 species. Melaka Zoo adopted an open concept and maintains the natural green environment. Melaka Zoos role is a center for wildlife research, conservation breeding, zoo education center and a popular tourist destination. The zoo neighbors with Melaka Crocodile Farm. Moreover, Melaka Butterfly and Reptile Sanctuary is located just 3km from Melaka Zoo. Click the below logo to visit the official page of Melaka Zoo!

Malacca also owns several other places to visit by tourist like eco-tourist spots, religious places (for Christian, Buddhist, Muslims, Chinese and Hindus), science centers (like Al-Khawarizmi Astronomy Complex & Malacca Planetarium), shopping malls, theme parks, resort, museums and lot more. Even a week is not enough to explore this famous historical place of Malaysia. Malacca has adopted as its slogan, "Visiting Malacca Means Visiting Malaysia" ("Melawat Melaka Bererti Melawati Malaysia") which is true of course! Such a vast place to explore for both tourist and travelers.